Ethical Issue free essay sample

Currently involved in a legal battle originating from allegations that the company unethically pursued clinical trials in an impoverished nation, which resulted in the death of 11 Nigerian children as well as causing deafness, blindness, and paralysis in many other children puts Pfizer under a microscope of ethical scrutiny. The purpose of this paper is to examine the issues behind the ethics of the clinical trial in Nigeria including what caused the deficiencies in ethical standards, what were the ethical decision-making systems in place at the time of the issue and what roles did management and executives have in the situation. A proposal of a plan on how to avoid the same ethical dilemma from happening again, incorporating both a perspective and psychological approach, becomes the final focus of this paper. The Ethical Issue Defined Obtaining Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for clinical trials in the United States has many stages and costs pharmaceutical companies millions. We will write a custom essay sample on Ethical Issue or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Reproducing a drug is a relatively low-cost undertaking after establishment in the mainstream market, but to develop a new drug can cost as much as $500 million (Pagnattaro, 2005). Pfizer’s testing took place in 1996, when an epidemic of bacterial meningitis, measles, and cholera occurred in Kano, an impoverished Nigerian city,† (Pagnattaro, 2005, p. 171). The issue has many ethical sub-issues in the situation in which Pfizer conducted a clinical trial in Nigeria that would never meet approval in America, some of which include the following: * The control group received an established drug but at a lower-dosage level than was the standard prescription. * Pfizer sought consent from parents of the hildren participants even though the parents did not read English, understand the potential risks involve, or that they could even deny participation, and the non-test subjects received a different drug altogether from Doctors Without Borders as approved by the World Health Organization (Pagnattaro, 2005). * No dissemination of information about a previous animal trial of Trovanâ„ ¢ suggesting high-risk side effects if given to children occurred. * Practitioners and trial administrators for Pfizer failed to use standard protocols of following up with test subjects to ensure they were not acquiring side effects to the trial drugs. Pfizer allegedly forged documents giving them approval by the Nigerian government and the Nigerian medical ethics committees after the children died, nearly a year after the trial administration. At the time, the trial was taking place the Nigerian medical ethics committee did not yet exist. Examination of Pfizer Organizational Role Pfizer’s two primary ethical systems used to justify the Nigerian drug trial were consequentialism (goal-based) and entitlement-based approaches. They viewed the choice to justify using an experimental drug in an under-developed country because it would help them save lives in the long as well as speeding up the process of gaining market approval and mass access to the drug, which is goal-based theorem. The entitlement-based system result in their belief that they did not have to follow proper protocols and international guidelines because they were a powerful pharmaceutical company and this was a rural foreign area with high death rates from the diseases they were testing against, regardless to Pfizer’s involvement. Therefore, the organization believed they right was to go forward on a risky trial despite other repercussions. Unfortunately, for the organization, it seems most of the wrongdoings and bad judgments came from executives in the research and development department, and there is some evidence of knowledge at the middle management level in clinical trial units. The executives and middle managers made decisions to administer Trovanâ„ ¢ in Nigeria, to falsify documents and not to follow global standards for clinical drug trials. The role of these upper-level employees caused the entire organization to receive a bad reputation as well as a formal government review of their ethical standards in all business operations (Wise, 2001). Plan for Ethical Issue Resolution Society has a global need and an ethical obligation to protect all persons entering clinical trials regardless of where those trials take place. Perhaps the best way to achieve this would come from reforming the way large transnational businesses conduct themselves in foreign relations. The creation of an international business community, one in which standardized practices and ethics seek development and companies doing business throughout the world reach accountability for their practices, would make it easier for global companies to uphold the ethical practices. Therefore, firms achieve accountability for their actions as well as making it easier to control the business practices of their worldwide branches (Logsdone amp; Wood, 2005). The first step in this process; develop a code of conduct that translates from smaller, local branches to large international branches of an organization with clarity of the character and integrity of the core values expressed by the company (Logsdon amp; Wood, 2005). After the development of this code, dissemination of these values and principles must effectively communicate and efficiently demonstrate to all levels of employees what to do when making ethical decisions. Completing this communication in such a manner that employees are precisely aware of the guidelines within the conduct standards, which these values and principles apply to; and with what expectations for conformance and compliance the corporation deems pertinent (Logsdon amp; Wood, 2005). In addition, the company needs to build in to its core values the idea that diversity between cultures showing they value and respect these differences, which taken into account regularly in the business practices of the company will aid in ethical decision-making processes (Logsdon amp; Wood, 2005). Even when the prevalent regulations are permissive or absent, the code must clearly reflect to stakeholders, executives, and employees at all levels that the highest integrity employed must happen in all their business dealings. This is particularly true if these values and principles become the standard for company practices, which will achieve a high transparency with consumers, resulting with an increase in the level of accountability for the company. The best prescriptive approach to implement the changes in resolving this ethical issue for Pfizer is a deontological approach, which would focus on honesty and fairness of the situation from a virtuous perspective. Whereas, the duty of the clinical researchers derives its merits on the Hippocratic Oath to fully inform the participants (or parents of minors) about the possible side effects of any trial drug clearly to the fullest understanding of the patient. What kind of world would it be if researchers were routinely dishonest? It would be one where we simply could not rely on the integrity of scientific research,† (Trevino amp; Nelson, 2007, p. 100). Using duty-based deontology or the Golden Rule, clinical researchers would not want trials conducted on their own children without full disclosure of possible side effects; therefore, they should not conduct experiments without giving full disclosure to patients. The best psychological approach for this situation comes from the post-conventional level of cognitive moral development. In instituting, a Global Business Community (GBC) stage five of Kohlberg’s moral stages enhances any prescriptive approach by upholding the deontology as a higher order than any social laws (Trevino amp; Nelson, 2007). The focus on justice and what is right for all transnational pharmaceutical organizations would apply to the standards, rules, ethics, and values upheld regardless of where the clinical trials take place. If a particular location has no regulations on conducting clinical trials, no Internal Review Boards, or oversights on medical research Pfizer would hold them accountable to the standard set forth by the GBC, which would achieve guidelines no less a stringent as they are in the United States trials. Conclusion Many world organizations that have set standards for international clinical trials of new market entry drugs to help ensure all participants, regardless of where they live, receive ethical treatment; but each country has to choose to embrace and enforce these guidelines to obtain maximum protection. With both a prescriptive and psychological approaches, Pfizer can avoid making the same unethical decisions as they did with this particular situation. This paper thoroughly defined and examined Pfizer ethical dilemma in testing Trovanâ„ ¢ in a foreign country as well as laying out a plan to help avoid committing the same ethical violations in the future. Ultimately, this paper shows that serious ethical breaches occurred during the Nigerian trial of Pfizer’s drug Trovanâ„ ¢ with a better awareness of internal organizational ethical systems, and with a plan for conducting global drug trial this unfortunate situation will never happen again.

How to Answer “Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years”

How to Answer â€Å"Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years† When you’re sitting in an interview, there’s a good chance that most of your mental real estate lately has been going toward this day. So when the interviewer asks you where you see yourself in five years, it can be a bit of a jolt to suddenly think about the long term. Knowing the reasoning behind it and doing some prep ahead of time, you can be ready to handle this one like a pro on interview day. 1. DO understand why you’re being asked.Five years is a long time away from now. We’ll have a different president, and maybe hoverboards will finally be a reality. (A gal can hope, right?) The interviewer isn’t asking you to predict fashion trends or whatever social media scene will replace Instagramming your food. Rather, he or she is trying to do two things: 1) gauge your commitment to this job; and/or 2) see what kind of ambitions you hold dear to your heart. So while thinking about society’s future might be fun, focus your thoughts on your pro fessional development.2. DON’T exaggerate, even to yourself.â€Å"Running this place† is not an answer that will get you in the door. Think about where you realistically see yourself. Are you mid-management now, and see yourself higher up that ladder? Are you just starting out, but you’d like to be managing others in five years? Those are realistic goals. Assuming you’ll be the next CEO is, well, not. (Unless you’re interviewing right now to be the CEO, in which case this is a totally valid response.) Well before interview day, think about what you want out of this job, and what it would mean for your future.3. DO emphasize the experience angle over the job title.In my experience, job titles are too much of a moving target, even within a company. Positions are created, changed, and reimagined all the time. Rather than strain to figure out what your business cards will say, talk about what you hope to have achieved in the meantime. â€Å"I see myse lf as having deep expertise in this field, and this position is the way to do that.† Or â€Å"I would like to be taking the lead on projects, and become a great manager like the ones I’ve had along the way.†4. DON’T be brutally candid.If you’re interviewing for a receptionist position with a financial company when you’re really hoping to become an assistant at a music company, this is not the time to come clean and advertise that fact. The interviewer is spending a lot of time and energy on this hiring process, and him or her knowing that you’re only doing this as a Plan B is not going to get you any bonus points. So while you should never lie to answer this question, and say that all you’ve ever wanted is to be answering phones at BankCorp in five years, you can talk around that. Emphasize the skills you’d like to gain in this position, and talk about how you’re looking forward to growing roots and developing as a professional.5. DO emphasize your commitment for the long haul.Again, the interviewer is looking to confirm that you’re not a flight risk or someone who will give half-hearted effort to this job. While you talk about your goals for the next five years, make sure you emphasize how this position and this company will help you achieve that- and perhaps more importantly, emphasize what you bring that will help the company move forward in that time as well.You don’t need a crystal ball to answer this question- just some forward-looking talking points that show you’re the right person for this company, for the right reasons.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Marketing - Essay Example ations and it has been suggested that they should enter this market using the joint venture route with a local partner and leverage their capabilities by organizing a good supply chain. Tesco is the largest retail chain in the UK with over 11% share of the market and still growing. It is by far the most successful, most resourceful and most profitable of them all. It 2006 sales, worldwide were  £ 40 billion with profits of  £ 1.8 billion. Of this turnover 75% was generated in the UK and the rest overseas. The UK market is reaching saturation as well as referrals to the Competition Commission may see it slowing expansion or even curtailing some operations in the UK. This gives it the impetus for overseas growth. It is already planning to open up a 100 stores in the US in 2007 but Asia Pacific and especially India holds a great charm due to the huge potential in that region. Tesco covers food, clothing, home-use products and electronics. It keeps expanding its product range and it has a penchant for introducing new sales and channel formats. It is already deep into hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol retailing. It is less into product innovations but more into retail innovations that has seen it entering into high level Personal Finance, Telecoms, on-line service Tesco.com and most recently the Tesco Direct catalogue. (Euromonitor International). The company presently offers the customers a varied choice of both branded and private label products. It offers amazing discounts to its customers and 1999 was a landmark year where it invested  £ 380 millions bringing about price reductions across five separate campaigns. As a result prices were reduced for thousands of products by about 10%. Besides, over 200 stores operated 24x7 to offer its Club card holding customers fantastic deals. The company’s mission statement states that it endeavors to continuously create value for customer for earning lifetime loyalty. To this end its offers value

Q1) Discuss why the events of September 11 had such a global impact Essay

Q1) Discuss why the events of September 11 had such a global impact and did it justify the war in Afghanistan - Essay Example The discussion as to whether the events of that day justified the war on Afghanistan has been avoided extensively. Several issues should be look at when finding out the justifications of the war. Firstly, it is the legality of the war. The United Nation is an international body that was formed in the year 1945. In the UN charter, there are international laws that govern war; the war with Afghanistan was illegal. This is so since for any war to be authorized by the UN the dispute has to be presented to the council for discussion. Without authorization by this body, any military action against another country is termed as being illegal (Köchler,2008 p57). The only exception from this rule is when a nation has been subjected to armed attacks from another country, and as a result, then a country may declare an act of war through self-defense. This condition was not fulfilled by the United States because they were not carried out by another nation, but by an organization called al-Qaida (Köchler, 2008 p75). The second fact that can result in war is when a country feels threatened by military actions instigated by another country. The threatened country has the option of approaching the UN Security Council, to ask for authorization in order to act out of self-defense where the means on how to defend is not fixed. However, the government of the US at that time claimed that the attacks on Afghanistan were intended to protect the United States from any other attacks. However, this was not the case as the pentagon took its time to launch the attacks, and again this proved that the matter was not urgent, as the UN requires it. The United Nations did not authorize the attacks on Afghanistan thus the war was deemed as being illegal, and this has even been confirmed by some politicians who were government officials at the time (Buckley, 2003 p95). The third

Indian Festivals Essay Example for Free

Indian Festivals Essay India is a country of colours and festivals. It is said that there are seven days in a week but nine festivals. They mark the grand, gay and happy occasions in the life of Indian people. These are celebrated with gay abandon. Great preparations are made well in advance to observe festivals. These are the occasions of family gatherings, exchange of greetings and sweets, joy, praying, fasting and feasting. People visit temples, holy places, worship gods and invoke their favors. Festivals come round the year and add colour, joy, happiness, variety and spice to life. Man is a celebrating being. He celebrates birth, marriage and even death. In India there are a number of festivals, fairs, and days of celebration. Celebration and festivity is in Indian blood and psyche. These have close links with our religion, myths, changes of season, harvesting and anal events. Most of the Indian festivals follow lunar religious calendar. Festivals in India are of great social, cultural and national value. They help people to forge greater and stronger national and cultural ties with one another. Festivals are a great factor to unite such a large population into one country and nation. Their mass recreational appeal is irresistible. The people are in their best clothes on this occasion. Even the poor get new clothes sewn for festivals. Their enthusiasm and preparations are seen to be believed on festive occasions. There are various communities in India. They have their respective festivals but they all participate in one another’s festivities with much delight and jest. Holy, Deepavali, Janmashtami, Dessert, Christmas, Id, Muharram, Mew Year are the main festivals celebrated on a vast scale. Besides, there are scores of other local and regional festivals. 15th August and 26th January are the national days of celebration and festivity. Holy, the most colorful festival marks the advent of spring and ripening of crops. It is also the most boisterous occasion. During the night bonfires are there, and then the next day there are a lot of singing, dancing and throwing of colours on one another. Sometimes the reveling is too much which turns into hooliganism, mud throwing and singing of obscene songs. However, it is an occasion when people of all classes mix-up with one another freely and enjoy singing and exchange of greetings and sweets. It is a special occasion in Gould, Matura and Barman, the places closely associated with the life of Lord Krishna and his consort Radar. Dessert is another great festival of India. It is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil. It was on the Vijayadashmi that Rama defeated the ten-headed demon King Ravenna. During these days of festivity, the epic Ramayana is presented in dance-drama form on the stages all over the country. It is popularly called Camilla. On the final day of the festivities, the huge effigies of Ravenna, and his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghan are burnt and there are fire-works. It is followed by Bharat Mila, an occasion of family reunion. In Mysore, a great royal and colorful procession is taken out on this occasion. In Kula also a special festival is celebrated on this day. In West Bengal it is observed as Durga Puja festival. Next comes the Deepavali, the festival of lights and fireworks. At night, earthen lamps and candles are lit to illumine the dark night of Amanas, the night before the new moon. Greetings and sweets are exchanged and Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth is worshipped. The businessmen close their old accounts and open the new ones. It is believed that Rama was crowned on this day after his triumphant return to Aloha from Lanka, foemen people also indulge in gambling on this occasion. Houses are cleaned, repaired and white-washed, and people wear new and colorful clothes on this day. 26th January is a major national Day when spectacular parade is held in Delhi along the Rajah. In state capitals also the day is celebrated with much enthusiasm and joy. Folk-dances are performed, processions taken out, parades held, and the National Flag is hoisted on this day. Then in the night there are fire-works and illumination of government buildings. It was on this day that our constitution came into being and India became a Republic. It is the most celebrated occasion for the Muslims in India. It comes after the month long fasting and praying of Raman. The Muslims visit mosques and Ideas to offer their prayers in their new and {east clothes. They embrace one another, exchange greetings and sweets, give alms to the poor and enjoy feasts. On Christmas, the Christians celebrate the event with much joy, jest and festivity, and exchange greetings and sweets. Special prayers and Teases are held in the churches on the occasion. New Year is celebrated with much jest, joy and enthusiasm by the people of all communities. Batsakis, Rachis, Roth Yare, Panama, Oman, Ganesha festival are some of the other important festivals of India.

Goethe’s Statement :: essays research papers

Goethe’s statement, â€Å"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help then to become what they are capable of being† is commonly used in both a positive and negative form in today’s society. When a person looks the statement carefully over, they will find the meaning into what he is saying. From the Bible, the quote â€Å"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you† is very similar to Goethe’s statement. If a person acts in a certain way toward somebody, then the environment and the people in which that person is surrounded by affects his attitude directly. When a person believes somebody has the capability to be more than they are, and the person pushes that person to succeed, the person will live up to those standards. By having another source other than yourself see what you are capable of doing, it lets people see themselves from a different perspective. There are many examples in modern day society of Goethe’ s statement. A positive example of a modern day Goethe statement is in the Army. When a person thinks of the Army, the first thing that a person will think of is the quote â€Å"Be all that you can be.† The is an encouraging statement for people, and this will make people feel as if they can be part of something more helpful and proud. If a person exerts their whole self into becoming a soldier, and if other people tell them that they have the power to be more than just average, then, they put forth more effort, and feel better about themselves. Another positive example is in the acting business. While an actor is on stage saying his lines, he might meet the criticism of the director. The director of a play should know the ability of an actor, and by criticizing him; it is helping them become a better actor. There are also people with professions that, on a daily basis, they help people better themselves. These people are teachers and tutors. Teachers and students interact with each other more out of a day than most students interact with their parents. Teachers help us expand and open our mind by giving us skills throughout students’ early life to help students when they are older. By learning information from teachers, students become better people, in a couple of ways. Besides inquiring knowledge from their teachers, students learn to work with one another, open their mind to other peoples’ thoughts and ideas, respect one another, and learn different techniques for life’s issues.

George and Lennie in “Of Men and Mice” Essay

George and Lennie are the two main characters in this book. They look after one another and stick together. I think that that itself is quite strange as they are both completely the opposite to each other. Lennie is very dependant on George and probably wouldn’t be able to survive without him; he certainly wouldn’t be able to get himself out of trouble. But George is much more Independent than Lennie. George is also quite bossy, like a parent but is responsible and practical too. He acts like a parent to Lennie sometimes: â€Å"Lennie! Lennie for Gods sake don’t drink so much.† He often tells Lennie what to do like this example. But he is forced to because of Lennie child like behaviour and sense. Lennie very much in his actions and words reflects the personality of a young child. This is sometimes quite admiring and amusing, â€Å"You drink some Lennie, take a good big drink† he smiled happily.† He is also described in a way that a child would be, by saying, â€Å"he smiled happily† Even though Lennie annoys George, George still cares for Lennie. An example of this is when George warns Lennie about drinking the water. This also reflects his intelligence. Which he definitely seems when he’s described with Lennie because Lennie really does lack intelligence. Lennie ignores the warning showing his shortage in common sense. We find out that George is slightly short tempered by two incidents. One is when he talks about the bus driver giving them the wrong information. â€Å"We could just as well of rode clear to the ranch of that bastard bus driver knew what he was talkin’ about† He’s quite rude in this statement and we can tell that he is angry. Because he is already angry about this he snaps at Lennie. He talks about how much better off he would have been if he didn’t have Lennie with him and in my opinion he saws some quite harsh things, â€Å"You crazy son of a bitch you keep me in hot water all the time.† He seems determined to hurt Lennie in this paragraph when he talks like this to him. Particularly during this part of the story, you’re forced to feel sympathy for Lennie and feel that George is the ‘bad guy’. But we also see Georges caring side again when he sees’s Lennies anguished face and he is ashamed of himself. I think George is a compassionate person though. Because he still cares for Lennie and sticks by him and helps him out of trouble by choice. Lennie is purposely portrayed in a child like manner. You can tell by his tone of voice, the things he says, the way he’s described and his actions. â€Å"Lennie who had been watching imitated George exactly† â€Å"Where we goin’, George† â€Å"Ain’t a thing in my pocket George, honest.† Lennnie imitates George quite a lot, he looks up to George and trusts him. He tries to obey George and attempts really hard to remember what George tells him. He asks questions like a child constantly. And he tries to act clever in a child like way. Lennie also has a child’s imagination too; He is also attracted to petting things because of his child like gentle nature. â€Å"Let’s have different coloured rabbits, George† he makes silly comments like this as well. George doesn’t really trust Lennie. Not because he’s not a good person but because he’s forgetful and makes silly mistakes which lead to big trouble. Lennies stupidity, need of understanding and strength causes him to unknowingly make these mistakes. We know that he’s forgetful because he doesn’t remember where he is going and has to repeat things over and over again to remind himself. We also know that George doesn’t trust him because he doesn’t let him keep his own workers ticket. Both people think of the dream in different ways, Lennie thinks about it in a very childish dreamy way, and as you’d expect, George thinks practically and really about it. And when he realises he’s being unrealistic he stops himself: â€Å"-Nuts† I think this shows that he doesn’t get his hopes up too high and that he is a down to earth person. George is a planner, he likes to be organised and know what’s happening. He plans and tells Lennie where to go if there’s trouble at the ranch. George and Lennie are very different people but they both benefit and appreciate the companionship that they share. â€Å"But not us! Because†¦because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you and that’s why†